Sunday, November 13, 2005

Evening Prayer

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.When other helpers fail and comforts flee,Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings,Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea—Come, Friend of sinners, and thus bide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour.What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.*

Jesus said, "I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." --John 8:12

O gracious light,pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!Now as we come to the setting of the sun,and our eyes behold the vesper light,we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,O Son of God, O Giver of Life,and to be glorified through all the worlds.--Phos Hilaron

The law of the LORD is perfect and revives the soul; *the testimony of the LORD is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent.The statutes of the LORD are just and rejoice the heart; *the commandment of the LORD is clear and gives light to the eyes.The fear of the LORD is clean and endures for ever; *the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, *sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb.--Psalm 19:7-10

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.--Luke 16:10-13

God our Father, whose Son forgave his enemies while he was suffering shame and death: Strengthen those who suffer for the sake of conscience; when they are accused, save them from speaking in hate; when they are rejected, save them from bitterness; when they are imprisoned, save them from despair; and to us your servants, give grace to respect their witness and to discern the truth, that our society may be cleansed and strengthened.

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ.

Lord, Abide with us through the good and the bad. Through times of joy and times of pain. Help us to keep the honey of your Word on our tongues and let the sweetness flavor our lives. In the name of your beloved Son; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

*Lyte was inspired to write this hymn as he was dying of tuberculosis; he finished it the Sunday he gave his farewell sermon in the parish he served so many years. The next day, he left for Italy to regain his health. He didn’t make it, though—he died in Nice, France, three weeks after writing these words. Here is an excerpt from his farewell sermon:

O brethren, I stand here among you today, as alive from the dead, if I may hope to impress it upon you, and induce you to prepare for that solemn hour which must come to all, by a timely acquaintance with the death of Christ.

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